Lifesaving equipment for submarines



May 26, 1936.. W ET AL v mmmw LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR SUBNARINES FiledApril 24, 1955 2 Sheet -Sheet 1 INVENTORS FRANK SHEPLIN GEORGE,MACCHIANICH ATTORNEY y 6, Wm. F. SHEPUN Em I 204mm LIFESAVING EQUIPMENTFOR SUBMARINES Filed April 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE'NTORS FRANKSHEPLIN Patented May 26, 1936 ilNlTED' STAT ES:

PAT E NT OF F IQE Frank Shepliir and-George Macchiani'cli, Jersey'City,N.- J;

Application April 24, 1935, Serial No. 17,941'

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improved life saving equipment for useinsubmarines; to enable the crew'or others to escape to the surface ofthe water, in which the vessel may be disabled, and to control thevelocity or movement from the-submarine, so as to insure a safe escape;

Another object of the inventionis the provision of an escape equipmentfor submarines, which will enable groups to successively enter-protectedbuoyant cars within the submarine, and then to release thesecars from controlled operations within the cars, so that they can risefrom the submarine, under controlledv upward movement.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an escape equipment forsubmarines, including a tunnel enclosed by the vessel and having itsoutlet end located in line with a conning tower, or other similarvertical shaft, and means for lockingthe outlet from the escape tunnel,which can be operated by air pressure to permit of the release of thecrew cars working within the tunnel.

A still further object of the invention is. the provision of means foradmitting water from the exterior of the vessel, toproduceequal-internal pressure within. the tunnel,. and to float the crew carsinto discharging line position. with. theconning toweror other entranceshaft of the vessel. A still. further object of the invention. istheprovision of means for unlocking the hatch cover or closure, by theuseof compressed. airanda provision of a speed control arrangement equippedon and operable within the escape car. A still' further object of theinvention is to provide means for locking the crew cars to the tunnel,which will permitthe crew to enter the car and then disconnect the samefrom the tunnel, while sealing the car against external Water pressure,and then to propel the car in the tunnel into line position withthetunnel outlet to the external water's.

With the above and other objects in view,- the invention consists incertain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements ofparts, clearly. described in the following specification, and fullyillustrated in the accompany-1 ing. drawings, in which:

Fighl'isa sideview'o'f a submarine, with a portion broken away andshowing the tunnel insec tion.

Fig.2 is a detail vertical sectional view through.

the conning tower, on an enlarged scale, show ing' the closure lock andthe pressure operated release therefor.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view of a sliding pipe couplingfor the pressure feed pipe of the closure lock.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view through the tunnel, on anenlarged scale, partly in section and partly in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical-sectional View, taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, lookinginthedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view, taken Fig. 9 is. ahorizontal sectional view taken on.

the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the practicalconstruction of ourirne proved submarine escape system, 5" designates asubmarine, which is equipped with a conning tower 6, providing avertical shaft 1 for the escape tunnel 8, which is arranged ata risinginclination within the vessel, the tunnel and the shaft forming anL-shaped passage. An additional conning tower shaft S'may be provided,to afford a separate entrance and exit for the submarine.

In the upper end of the conning tower shaft! the cover or closure Iii istightly fitted, by means of thetapered hollow body Ill This bodyisformed hollow so that it will be buoyant. The body l6 is formed with anannular shoulder I0 which engagesthe annular shoulder l of the shaft 11Below this shoulder the locking bolts H and I2 work. The outer ends ofthese rods are tapered'and slide into and out of the sockets I l and 12*formed in the wall of the conning tower shaft. The inner end of the boltrod H is e'quipp'edwith a piston head l3 and the inner end of the boltrod I Zis equipped with a. piston head.

l4. These piston heads Work in the "cylinder l5, which is equipped witha relief valve l6, opening above the cover. Pressure fluid is admittedto the cylinder I5 against the outer'si'de of thepiston head l3by meansof the pipe ll, and pressure fluid is admitted to'the cylinder againstthe outerend of the piston head M by means of the pipe [8. The two pipes11 and l8are coupled to the pressure pipe [9, which is provided on oneend with the branch 2|], which is fitted in the vertical pipe 2|, andsealed in place by the packing gland 22, threaded in said pipe.

The lower end of the tunnel is closed by the wall 23, and above thiswall the tunnel is equipped with a series of man openings 24, located onopposite sides thereof, and spaced apart from each other in opposedpairs, of suitable area.

In the tunnel a series of cars 25 is arranged. Each car is provided withside walls 26 and 21, which are provided with man openings 25 and 21*,adapted to register with the adjacent pair of man openings 24.

Screw bolts 28 are provided on each side of the car for coupling thesame to the side walls of the tunnel, outside of the man openings, andto seal these openings packing 29 is provided between the car and thetunnel walls. A cover 3 is attached on the tunnel over each of its manopenings, and another cover 3| is attached on the car over each of itsman openings. The screw bolts 28 are provided with cranks adapted to beoperated from the inside of the car.

The side walls of the tunnel are equipped with gear racks 33 and 34 onopposite. sides thereof, which are engaged by the gears 33 and 34carried by the ends of the cross shaft 35, mounted to turn in the car,and provided with crank throws 35 and 35 to permit of manual operationby the crew. The gear racks extend toward the shaft of the conningtower. Each car is equipped with a base wheel or roller 36 on each sidecorner thereof, so that it will roll upwardly.

Before the crew enters the tunnel man openings, the water control valve31 is manually operated by the crew; this will admit water to the tunneland create within the tunnel pressure conditions equal to those outsideof the Vessel.

The next operation is for the crew to enter one or all of the carsthrough the tunnel man openings and through the car openings. After thecrew enters the car or cars the car openings are sealed from within thecar, by clamping the covers thereof in place. When this has beenaccomplished the screw bolts 28, equipped with cranks are operated, sothat the cars are disconnected from the tunnel.

When the water enters the tunnel from the outside of the submarine, itcannot enter the cars, and compresses air in the conning tower under thecover thereof. This compressed air is utilized to operate the pistonreleased bolts of the cover, controlled by means of the manual valve 40,located outside. near the lower end of the tunnel. The air from thetunnel enters pipe 40 passes thromgh the valve 40, then along the pipe2|, the pipe l9, and the pipes I1 and H! to move the pistons.

This will release the cover, which will be blown upwardly by reason ofthe combined forces developed by the buoyancy of the cover and the internal pressure against the cover. Additional air pressure may besupplied the conning tower shaft by means of the compressed air supplyof the vessel. The rising of the cover will cause the branch pipe of thecover to be forcibly withdrawn from the feed pipe, at the connection asshown in Fig. 3 or the pipes will bend or break, or connections thereofwill turn. With nothing now to restrain the cover it will be completelypivoted from or detached from the top of the tower and the cars candischarge successively through the open conning tower, when uncoupledfrom the side walls of the tunnel.

In order to control the speed of the vertical movement of the cars tothe surface, each car is equipped with a vertical water conduit 42,which opens through the top wall of the car, and which communicates withthe dome or distributor 43 at the bottom of the car. The flow of waterthrough this distributor is controlled by means of the conical valve 44,which is operated by means of the worm shaft 45, which engages the wormgear 41 on screw shaft of the valve. The outer end of the worm shaft 45is enclosed within the car and may be operated by the crew.

The distributor opens through the bottom of the car, and by regulatingthe volume of water flowing through the car, the resistance of the carto vertical movement may be modified, and the ballasting effect on thecar controlled.

Ballast tanks 48 are mounted on the sides of the car and are adapted tostore up oxygen.

It will be seen that access to each of the cars is made absolutely safeand easy, and that when once installed in a car all operations requiredto release the car take place in properorder. When the car reaches theupper end of the conning tower shaft it will engage a plunger 49resiliently maintained in a lower position, and force the plungerupwards.

The stem 50 of the plunger 49 is formed with rack teeth 50' meshing witha pinion 5| mounted upon a spindle 52 rotatively supported in thechamber I5. A disc 53 is mounted upon the spindle 52 and eccentricallyconnects with the inner ends of rods 54 which are pivotally connected attheir other ends with the pistons l3 and 14. An expansion spring 55normally urges the plunger 59 into the lowered position.

The arrangement is such that should the pneumatic or hydraulic meansfail to retract the bolts II and I2, when the first car reaches the topof the tower it will strike the plunger 49 and force it upwards andcause the disc 53 to partially turn and draw the rods 54, the pistons I3and I4, and the bolts I l and I2 from their latching positions.

In Figs. 8 and 9 another form of the invention is illustrated. In thisform the escape car 25' is shown to be cylindrical and is provided witha pair of split ring sections 25 and 25 joined by slidable guiding pins25. The outer face of ring sections 25* and 25 is normally flush withthe outer periphery of the escape car 25. These ring sections may beused as a brake to control the speed of motion of the escape car byturning the threaded bar 55 by its operating crank handle 56 located atone side of the said bar. The threaded bar 55 engages the correspondingthreaded boss 5'! secured to the inner side of the escape car 25'. Aflange 58 at the other side of the threaded bar 55 is rotatively securedto the ring section so that upon rotation of crank handle 56, the centerof the ring section is radially moved away from the center of the escapecar toward the inner periphery of escape tunnel 8 and vertical shaft 1.

It is to be understood that the escape cars 25 and 25 may also be storedin the vertical shaft 1 in place of the inclined tunnel 8.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of ourinvention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention. what we claim as new; anddesi-re.to; secure by-United States Letters Patent is z,-

1. In; combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of'said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said tunnel and tower being substantially of L-shape with thetower corresponding with the vertical arm of the L form, and the tunnelwith the horizontal arm, said horizontal arm being arranged at aninclination so that thecars may travel upwards through the tunnel intothe tower.

2. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from said.tower, said water-proof means for providing access into the interior ofthe cars from the interior of the submarine, comprising a plurality ofmanholes in the cars and in the tunnel aligning with each other, meansfor closing said manholes, means for connecting the cars and the tunnelso that the manholes constitute a waterproof passage from the submarinethrough the tunnel into the cars.

3. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the-interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower,- andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said water-proof means for provi-ding access into the interior ofthe cars from the interior of the submarine, comprising a plurality ofmanholes inthe cars and in the tunnel aligning with each other, meansfor closing said manholes, means for connecting the cars and the tunnelso that the manholes constitute a waterproof passage from the submarinethrough the tunnel into the cars, water-proof annular members beingdisposed between the walls of the tunnel and the car surrounding saidmanholes.

4. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasab'ly closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of saidcars fromthe interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entrance ofwater into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said water-proof means for protunnel-so that the manholesconstitute a waterproof passage from the submarine through the tunnelinto the cars, water-proof annular members being disposed between thewalls of the tunnel and the car surrounding said manholes, and screwsholding the walls of the car and tunnel together to clamp thewater-proof material into operative positions.

5. In combination with a submarine having. a tower, an escape'tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing. access to the interiorsof said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said water-proof means for providing access into the interior ofthe cars from the interior of the submarine, comprising a plurality ofmanholesin the cars and in the tunnel aligning with-each other, meansfor closing said manholes, means for connecting the cars and the tunnelso that the manholes constitute a water-proof passage from the submarinethrough the tunnel into the cars, water-proof annular members beingdisposed between the walls of the tunnel and the car surrounding saidmanholes, and screws holding the walls of the car and tunnel together toclamp the water-proof material into operative positions, said screwshaving handles within the car by which the car may be released from thetunnel.

6. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said means for controlling the entrance of Water into the tunnelcomprising a pipe extending from the exterior of the submarine into thelower portion of the tunnel and controlled with a valve.

'7. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in. said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said means for opening the top of the tower comprising slidablebolts engaging a cover over. the top of the tower and the walls of thetower, and air operated means for moving said bolts when water entersthe tunnel and air at the top of the tower consequently is forced underpressure.

8. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof, means for providing access to the interiorsof said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into. said. tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower,and means for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said means for opening the top of the tower comprising slidablebolts engaging a cover over the top of the tower and the walls of thetower, and air operated means for moving said bolts when water entersthe tunnel and air at the top of the tower consequently is forced underpressure, said bolts having pistons on one of their ends, and saidcompressed air being directed to move the pistons so as to move thebolts.

9. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfro-m the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said means for opening the top of the tower comprising slidablebolts engaging a cover over the top of the tower and the walls of thetower, and air operated means for moving said bolts when water entersthe tunnel and air at the top of the tower consequently is forced underpressure, and mechanical means for retracting the bolts whenand if oneof the cars strikes the roof of the tower.

10. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, said means for opening the top of the tower comprising slidablebolts engaging a cover over the top of the tower and the walls of thetower, and air operated means for moving said bolts when water entersthe tunnel and air at the top of the tower consequently is forced underpressure, and mechanical means for retracting the bolts when and if oneof the cars strikes the roof of the tower, comprising a plungerextending downwards from the roof into the tower, and means connectingthe plunger and bolts to retract the bolts when the plunger is movedupwards.

11. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, comprising stationary racks upon the sides of the tower andengaged by gears upon the extremities of a shaft passing through thecar.

12. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower, andmeans for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, comprising stationary racks upon the sides of the tower andengaged by gears upon the extremities of a shaft passing through thecar, said shaft being provided with cranks by which it may beconveniently turned.

13. The combination with a submarine having an entrance and exit shaft,of an inclined tunnel arranged in the submarine with one endcommunicating with the shaft, means for locking the shaft against theadmission of water to the tunnel, means for controlling said lockingmeans 0perable from the other end of the shaft, means cooperatingtherewith for admitting water to the tunnel from the outside of thesubmarine to produce an internal pressure approximately equal to that ofthe water outside of the submarine, and means in the tunnel forconveying a person through the tunnel to the shaft and to the outsidewater when the shaft is opened by the operation of said locking means.

14. The combination with a submarine having a conning shaft providing anentrance to the submarine, of an inclined tunnel communicating at itsupper end with the shaft and provided with a closed lower end, means foradmitting water to the tunnel from the outside of the submarine, a coverfor closing the shaft against the entrance of water thereto, pressureactuated means for locking the cover to the shaft, means controlled at adistance from the cover for operating said pressure actuated means, aseries of cars in the tunnel, means formed in the wall of the tunnelproviding an entrance to each car, means in each car for closing its ownentrance, means for looking each car to the tunnel adapted to seal theentrance thereto against leakage, and means for propelling the car inthe tunnel toward the open end of the shaft.

15. The combination with the submarine having a conning shaft providingan entrance to the submarine, of an inclined tunnel communicating at itsupper end with the shaft and sealed at its lower end against theadmission of water thereto, said tunnel having a man opening in itsside, a car within the tunnel having a corresponding man opening in itsside, means for closing both sets of openings, means for securing thecar to the tunnel, means for closing the upper end of the shaft, meansfor locking said closing means which is operative from a distance to theshaft, means for admitting water to the tunnel from the outside of thesubmarine, and means in the car for varying the speed of the upwardmovement of the car through the water outside of the submarine whenreleased from the subma rine.

15. In combination with a submarine having a tower, an escape tunnelcommunicating with the interior thereof and terminating in the towerhaving a releasably closed top, water-proof cars in said tunnel,water-proof means for providing access to the interiors of said carsfrom the interior of the submarine, means for controlling the entranceof water into said tunnel, means for opening the top of said tower,means for assisting said cars through the tunnel and out from saidtower, and means for controlling the motion of the water proof cars,said means including split friction ring operable from within the saidcars.

FRANK SHEPLIN. GEORGE MACCHIANICH.

